title: Low back pain and associated presenteeism among hospital nursing staff.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In spite of the high prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and presenteeism previously observed among nurses, no study has assessed the risk of presenteeism specifically due to LBP in nursing staff. Therefore, aim of the present study was to assess prevalence and risk factors of presenteeism due to LBP among hospital nursing personnel.
  
  
  METHODS
  174 female nurses underwent a clinical interview and filled in a questionnaire on sociodemographics, LBP symptoms and associated sickness absence, mental symptoms, burnout and on exposure to workplace organizational, psychosocial and ergonomic factors; 111 subjects affected by LBP were included in the analysis. The effect of sociodemographic and workplace characteristics on presenteeism was examined through multivariate Poisson robust regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of presenteeism due to LBP was 58%, with wide differences between registered nurses and nursing aides (p=0.001). Only a few workplace factors were significantly associated with presenteeism, including frequent stooping, which decreased the risk of presenteeism, and good working climate and procedural justice, which increased it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presenteeism due to LBP was very high among registered nurses and was influenced only by workplace, but not by sociodemographic characteristics. Presenteeism due to LBP among registered nurses should be closely monitored, and effort should be made to reduce it to prevent future work disability associated with LBP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Local Health Unit TO3.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: d'Errico
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viotti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baratti
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mottura
authors.forename: Anna Pia
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Barocelli
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tagna
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sgambelluri
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Battaglino
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Converso
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology